Back To Normal

After 10 days of traveling around the Northeast, it has been back to normal daily life here in Alaska.

I want so badly to jump right back into running and training like normal, but know I need to take it easy. I usually follow this plan when recovering from a marathon—increasing my mileage by 25%, 50%, and then 75% each week. It has worked well in the past, so I’ll probably do that again this time around. However, I don’t feel nearly as fatigued this time around as I usually do after a marathon. As I’ve done more marathons (Boston was my 5th), my body seems to recover faster each time.

I also know I need to take it easy because of the injuries I had the 6 months prior to the marathon. Thankfully, they did not bother me during the marathon, but on Tuesday morning my hamstring was giving me a little bit of pain after a couple of miles. It is a lot better than it used to be, but I know something still isn’t right. Thankfully, my glute hasn’t given me problems—although it may have moved to a spot higher in my glute where my back meets my glute.

On Tuesday morning I did cover 3 miles in just over 25 minutes. It is so nice not to have snow on the roads to deal with anymore. As you can see we still have snow everywhere else though.

Tuesday after work, I treated myself to an hour massage at Studio 3 in downtown Anchorage. I am simply amazed at the work Katie does each time I go and see her. She gave me an awesome recovery massage, and I was feeling very refreshed afterwards.

Since getting back to my normal routine, I am also eating better. Vegetables were definitely lacking last week during our vacation. All I wanted was protein after the marathon! I treated myself to what my body was craving and even indulged in a couple of desserts, which was a sweet treat after giving up desserts for over three months.

Protein spinach smoothies and salads are back in my diet. I do not make very good salads at home, but I do like Annie’s Goddess salad dressing, which definitely improves my bland salads. I rarely buy the same salad dressing twice, but this is one flavor I keep going back to. I know Trader Joe’s also makes a similar version and from what I remember, it tastes very similar.

I also discovered a new type of cracker I really like. I am a sucker for crackers—crunchy carbs are my favorite. I was tired of my regular cracker rotation, so I gave these Late July classic rich crackers a try. These, of course, are the Ritz version minus all the funky ingredients. And just so you know they are way better than Ritz.

I also had this Luna bar for lunch today. I am a big fan of Luna bars. I like almost every flavor and was excited to try this new flavor: Carrot Cake. The bar had a very strong spice flavor—almost too strong. I liked it, but I could see how others would think it was too much spice. 

Prior to going to Boston I got a Shellac manicure at Body Works Salon and Spa, and I’m happy to report that it is still looking great after two weeks. My nails have grown out a bit, but it looks better than chipped edges.

The first time I got a Shellac manicure, it only last about a week and the edges near my cuticles started to lift and peel off. I called the nail salon to ask them if it was something I did or application error. They said it was probably due to my nails being too dry, so I was skeptical to try it again. Well, then I went to Body Works and inquired about a Shellac manicure. I told the nail esthetician what had happened, and she said that the polish had lifted because the Shellac polish had been applied too close too my cuticles. If the polish touches the cuticles, the oils from the cuticles will cause the polish to lift. When I had my Shellac manicure done this time, the polish didn’t touch my cuticles, and I haven’t had any problems with the paint peeling off.

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Questions

Ever tried a Shellac manicure? What did you think?

Share your tips for recovering from a marathon—or a longer race.